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4D/Toto/Score

  The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has said that the number of unwanted animals it has taken in dropped to 10,500 in the year ending June 2002, from more than 13,000 the year before. SPCA's Executive Officer Deirdre Moss said that the number of animals taken in by SPCA had hovered at 11,000 to 12,000 a year for the past decade, hitting a high of more than 13,000 in 2001. (Straits Times 30 Sep 2002) (H3) 

  A Singapore researcher has developed a solution containing tiny peptides or chains of amino acids that prevent the receptors in hair follicles from coming into contact with hormones that cause them to fall. Dr LEE Chee Wee, the founder of privately funded home-grown biotech company Lynk Biotechnologies, said that the solution had been tested on more than 100 balding men who applied the lotion on their heads for 45 minutes a day for an average of two months. He claimed they had between 30 and 60 per cent of hair re-growth. (Straits Times 30 Sep 2002) (4)

  Motorised trishaws will take to the streets in Little India and on Sentosa. The new green and khaki trishaws, about costing S$3,000 each, are provided by tour operator Singapore Explorer which will be charging S$36 a person for its rides. An LTA spokesman said there are about 450 trishaw drivers in Singapore currently: 348 employed by four tour operators and the rest working for themselves. (Straits Times 28 Sep 2002) (H13)

  From Tuesday, students and national servicemen can go to any TransitLink ticket office and pay to get their ex-link cards encoded with a train concession pass. Holders of such cards then need carry only one card for travel on the MRT or LRT. (Straits Times 28 Sep 2002) (H9)

  In an interview with International herald Tribune editor David Ignatius, Senior Minister LEE Kuan Yew said it frightened him that the world was in for a period of great uncertainty and danger, with no one knowing how religious terrorism will peter out. But, he was optimistic that the terrorists cannot win because they do not have the power, economic might or the science and technology to prevail. (Straits Times 28 Sep 2002) (H2)

  The Asian Games will be shown on television here as the Singapore Sports Council has received a grant from the Singapore Broadcasting Authority and sponsorship from Singapore Pools to pay the cost of almost S$1 million for the Games. However, Singaporeans will only be able to watch two live telecasts, the opening and closing ceremonies. (Straits Times 28 Sep 2002) (3)

  Every year, between 900 and 1,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed. Unfortunately, some find out too late so about 250 women die of breast cancer in Singapore every year. For women who go for regular screening, the chances of dying from breast cancer drop dramatically by between 24 and 30 per cent, said a specialist from the cancer centre. (Straits Times 27 Sep 2002) (H10)

  Findings culled from interviews with 1,481 Singaporeans from January to June 2001 show that the proportion of single women who thought marrying was better than staying single dropped from 80 per cent for those in their 20s to 48 per cent for those in their 30s. And, while 88 per cent of 20-something single women felt married couples should have children, only half of the 30-somethings thought so. In contrast, young men in their 20s get more interested in marriage and having children as they became older. The survey was commissioned by the Ministry of Community Development and Sports (MCDS). (Straits Times 27 Sep 2002) (H1)

  The case against Slim 10 diet pill importer Health Biz and its president had a surprising ending yesterday with the company being fined S$45,000 and another 32 charges dropped in an unexpected move by the prosecutors. (Straits Times 27 Sep 2002) (3)

  The 21 Singaporeans arrested last month for terrorism- related activities were not poor, stupid or marginalised, said Home Affairs Minister WONG Kan Seng yesterday when he revealed that all of them earned decent wages and owned their own homes, ranging from four-room to executive Housing Board flats. Twelve of them earned between S$1,500 and S$2,500 a month and one even took home more than S$5,000. (Straits Times 27 Sep 2002) (1)

  Cancer is the leading cause of death here and the death toll has inched up from 25.9 per cent in 1998 to 26.6 per cent in 2000 to 28 per cent now. Last year, there were almost 4,500 deaths from cancer. High-risk habits, in particular, smoking and drinking, could see one in two Singaporean men developing cancer by 2020. (Straits Times 26 Sep 2002) (H7)

  Blood-group information will no longer appear on new identity cards from the end of this month. The change will affect all Singaporeans aged 15 or 30 on or after Sept 30 who are required to register for an identity card, new Permanent Residents (PR) and citizens, and those who have damaged or lost their ICs. (Straits Times 25 Sep 2002) (H8)

  A Housing Board parking officer who took bribes from car repossessors was yesterday jailed three years for corruption. Mazlan Awang, 39, made an easy S$48,360 by giving two car repossessors information on where to find cars belonging to people who had defaulted on their loans. (Straits Times 25 Sep 2002) (H3)

  A man who started molesting his 9-year-old step-daughter on the day his son was born was yesterday sentenced to 24-years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane. The 43-year-old mover was found guilty after a three-day trial on three charges of aggravated rape. The victim, who turned 13 this week, was abused for the first time on Aug 22, 1999, four months after the man became her step-father. (Straits Times 25 Sep 2002) (H3)

  13 volunteers have walked out of the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case), citing unhappiness with the leadership's top-down approach. They quit en masse yesterday, crippling the group's 22-member CaseTrust committee and leaving Case with only 40 volunteers. Mr LOKE, chairman of Case and a 20-year veteran, told The Straits Times yesterday that he had contemplated resigning since Case president Mr YEO Guat Kwang took over in February. (Straits Times 25 Sep 2002)

  A request by SingTel to raise local telephone rates for the first time since 1991 was rejected flatly by the Government yesterday. The rejection of SingTel's bid by the Infocomm Authority of Singapore (IDA) surprised industry watchers who had expected that SingTel would be allowed to raise rates by 10-20 per cent either now or next year. SingTel first tried to raise its rates in 1998 but withdrew its application then. (Straits Times 25 Sep 2002) (1)

  The Education Ministry, in a press statement yesterday, said that students here take a different A-level examination from their peers in Britain. The way they are graded is also dissimilar. It added: "The setting, marking and grading of the examination scripts are subject to stringent quality-control procedures and are closely monitored by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) in Britain, which develops A-level syllabuses and examinations. (Straits Times 24 Sep 2002) (H3)

  The company that imported the Slim 10 tablets, Health Biz, has pleaded guilty to nine charges of having breached licensing regulations. It now faces a maximum fine of S$45,000. (Straits Times 24 Sep 2002) (H2)

  Preliminary results of a study by KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) show that 60 per cent of grossly obese children have sleep apnoea, 36 per cent have diabetes, 40 per cent have high cholesterol and 5 per cent have hypertension. In Singapore, about 10 per cent of schoolchildren are obese and of these, 5 per cent or about 3,000 children are grossly obese. Results of the survey have shown that with diet and exercise, 57 per cent of the children have managed to reduce their weight by 6 per cent within eight weeks. (Straits Times 24 Sep 2002) (H1)

  Members of an Economic Review Committee panel want homes here to be rid of the mesh of wires and sockets that now line walls because phone lines are kept separate from power lines. Power lines could be used to deliver both, they said. They also want satellite dishes allowed into the homes of Singaporeans, who may then pick and pay for what they wish to watch, and use their television sets to shop and surf. The satellite dish, however, has never found favour with the Government. (Straits Times 24 Sep 2002) (1)

  Tattoo shops here are registered like beauty centres, but are not regulated by health authorities. There are also no age restrictions, unlike in some countries where the minimum age to have a tattoo done ranges from 16 to 21. The Health Ministry here steps in only if it receives a complaint. There are about 30 tattoo shops here. (Straits Times 23 Sep 2002) (H7)

  Only four lawyers have dipped into a fund set up by the Law Society in 1999 to help lawyers during the economic downturn. It provides financial assistance of up to S$20,000 for lawyers and their families in dire financial straits. Those with problems in their professional or personal life can also get counselling from a scheme called Law Care. The society picks up the tab for the fees incurred. (Straits Times 23 Sep 2002) (H4)

  The Government will set aside S$3.8 million a year to subsidise, from next month, up to 75 per cent of the medical bills of needy elderly patients who need doctors or nurses to treat them at home. About 3,500 need home nursing care, and 1,200 need to be seen at home by a doctor. The maximum monthly per capita income for a family to qualify is S$1,000. The subsidies will be dispensed through 11 homecare providers here, which are run by voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs). (Straits Times 233 Sep 2002) (H1)

  About 40,000 people visited the three-day Natas Holidays 2002 at Suntec City, according to the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (Natas). A total of 150 exhibitors in 385 booths participated in the travel fair. (Straits Times 23 Sep 2002) (3)

  Three women were each jailed for six months yesterday for making an Indonesian maid take off her clothes and do squats repeatedly. Kamisah Mohamed, 27, Haryati Sahat, 31, and Zuriana Mohamed Yusof, 28, were customer service executives at NBK Employment Agency in Joo Chiat Road. Kamisah was also fined S$1,000.  The maid, aged 21, had been sent to her maid agency for counselling after her employer complained about her poor work performance. But the two-hour counselling session turned into a humiliating ordeal. (Straits Times 20 Sep 2002) (H5)

  A 13-year-old boy who had part of his hand chopped off underwent an operation last night to have it reattached. Police said part of his left hand, with four fingers and part of his palm, was found lying on the ground at the void deck of Blk 655 in Woodlands Ring Road. Witnesses said they had seen six boys running in different directions from the block. No weapons were found at the scene and the police are investigating. (Straits Times 20 Sep 2002) (6)

  A total of 18,000 workers have found work in the last eight months. With more job vacancies in sectors such as transport, community services, retail and manufacturing, the ratio of job openings to job-seekers has improved to four jobs to every 10 job-seekers from three to every 10 in December 2001. (Straits Times 20 Sep 2002) (4)

  Some 650,000 specimens belonging to the Singapore Botanic Gardens' giant collection of dried plant specimens are being moved over five days, ending today, to a refitted gymnasium at the Singapore Management University where they will remain until the new herbarium in the gardens is ready in 2005. The new fire-proof herbarium, in a new complex with laboratories, a public reference room and a library, is part of the gardens' S$35-million redevelopment. (Straits Times 20 Sep 2002) (4)

  The Government disclosed yesterday that the banned Jemaah Islamiah (JI) group had formed an alliance with other militant groups in the region with the aim of establishing an Islamic state comprising Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines' Mindanao, and which would eventually include Singapore and Brunei. It also released the photographs of the 18 who will be detained under the Internal Security Act for two years. The remaining three have been served Restriction Orders forbidding them from leaving Singapore without official consent. (Straits Times 20 Sep 2002) (1)

  The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is working with the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) on two projects totalling about S$800,000 to create specialised crime-fighting tools for use here. The first project involves the production of DNA kits for detectives to do on-the-spot extraction, analysis and comparison of samples, such as blood or hair, that are found at a crime scene. The second project is to develop portable fingerprinting equipment which uses laser beams to scan for the faintest prints. (Straits Times 19 Sep 2002) (H1)

  A task force has been set up to work in secrecy to assess threats to national security and deal with any crisis speedily. Called the National Security Task Force, it comprises members from two key security agencies: the Home Affairs Ministry (MHA) and te Ministry of Defence (Mindef). (Straits Times 19 Sep 2002) (4)

  Both MediaCorp TV and MediaWorks, the two local free-to-air channels here, yesterday said they could not pay the fee of US$500,000 (S$890,000) for live broadcasting rights to the Asian Games in Busan, South Korea because it was "not affordable".(Straits Times 19 Sep 2002)

  In its revisions to the Internet Banking Technology Risk Management Guidelines yesterday, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) made it clear to banks that they have a responsibility to educate their customers on "the security measures and reasonable precautions" they should take when accessing their online accounts. Banks are now required to give extensive advice to customers on the security practices they too should adopt, including installing and updating anti-virus software and not installing software from an unknown source. (Straits Times 18 Sep 2002) (H8)

  BP and Caltex have raised their pump prices. Caltex's Vortex Platinum and Silver petrol rose one cent a litre to S$1.334 and S$1.215 respectively, while its Vortex Gold is now S$1.274, up three cents. Its diesel now sells for 64 cents a litre, four cents more. BP's new prices are: Quantum 95 S$1.215, Quantum 92 S$1.188, Quantum 98 S$1.274 and Quantum Diesel 64 cents. (Straits Times 18 Sep 2002) (H2) 

  An ex-pub director was acquitted of allowing two men to dance on the bar top at the Manchester United-themed Devil's Bar in Orchard Parade Hotel on May 5 at about 1.45am. Ms KUO Po, 39, who is no longer with the pub, was allowed to compound the offence and paid a S$500 fine.  The case of bar-top dancing attracted letters to the Forum Page as well as the attention of Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong who remarked last month that allowing bar-top dancing might be conducive to creativity. (Straits Times 18 Sep 2002) (6)

  A bookie who raked in a record S$4.65 million in soccer bets over one year has been fined S$1 million - believed to be the highest handed out here to anyone caught taking illegal bets. LEAN Cheong Keng, 36, was also jailed for four years. (Straits Times 18 Sep 2002) (1)

  Of the S$700 million in hospital bills for patients in B2 and C classes of wards in the last financial year, only 3 per cent or about S$22 million, is paid by employee benefits, insurance or cash. The rest is covered by government subsidies and Medisave, MediShield and Medifund, according to the Health Ministry yesterday. The average B2- and C-class patients' bills are S$1,205 and S$756 respectively. Straits Times 17 Sep 2002) (5)

  A doctor with a clinic in Jalan Bukit Merah has been suspended and fined for handing out an addictive sleeping pill too freely. Dr TING Chooi Wan, a practising doctor since 1986, was suspended for 18 months and fined S$5,000 for over-prescribing Dormicum at her Red-Dale Clinic. (Straits Times 17 Sep 2002) (3)

  An Economic Review Committee panel has proposed easing visa rules, upping the standards of private schools and inviting top-class foreign universities to set up local branches so that the number of foreign students here can be increased to 150,000 in 10 years' time from the current 50,000 strength. Their spending, together with the 22,000 new jobs created, would boost the education sector's contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) from S$3 billion, or 1.9 per cent of GDP, to 5 per cent. (Straits Times 17 Sep 2002) (1) 

  The Home Affairs Ministry yesterday revealed that another 21 Singaporeans, of which 19 are members of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) network, were arrested in August for terrorism- related activities. The other two arrested are linked to the Philippines- based Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). (Straits Times 17 Sep 2002) (1)

  The 130,000 alumni of the National University of Singapore (NUS) will get a new S$30 million home called Alumni House in 2005. Half the estimated cost of building the facility will be put up by NUS, which hopes the remainder can be raised from alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students. (Straits Times 15 Sep 2002) (H2)

  The public makes about 800 to 1,000 reports to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) every year. Of these, only about 500 to 600 merit investigation by the bureau's officers. So far this year, about 150 people have been taken to court for bribery. Last year, 207 people were charged with graft. In 2000, 203 people were prosecuted for bribery, a drop from 295 people in 1999.  (Straits Times 15 Sep 2002) (H1)

  The Singapore Conservatory of Music, a collaboration between the National University of Singapore and John Hopkins University's Peabody Institute, will have a full intake of 200-odd students. Singapore's first music conservatory, announced in November 2001, is now inviting students who can play the piano or an orchestral instrument, as well as those who can compose, to apply for a place in it. Applications open on Sunday and auditions to recruit the first batch of 50 undergraduates from Singapore and 12 other cities in the region will start in November. (Straits Times 13 Sep 2002) (H12)

  Raffles Junior College  tops the junior college rankings for 2002. Victoria and Nanyang junior colleges take home the value-added awards. (Straits Times 13 Sep 2002) (H12)

  The 13 detainees from the clandestine group Jemaah Islamiah (JI) will be detained until at least January 2004. A review will be carried out in February 2003. (Straits Times 13 Sep 2002) (H6)

  At Alexandra Hospital, A and B1-class patients admitted from yesterday pay new fees which are about 2 to 3 per cent higher. At National University Hospital (NUH), charges for its subsidised wards stay unchanged but the average bill for its A-class patients is expected to go up by 1 to 2 per cent. (Straits Times 13 Sep 2002) (4)

  The new intellectual- property (IP) management sector serving the Asia-Pacific region will be a key component in Singapore's push to become an innovation-based economy, according to the Economic Development Board (EDB). This industry would create about 5,000 jobs in the next five years. (Straits Times 13 Sep 2002) (3)

  Charges at Woodbridge Hospital and KK Women's & Children's Hospital will go up by an average of 8 and 6 per cent respectively between now and October 2002. For most subsidised patients in major hospitals such as Singapore General, Changi General, Tan Tock Seng and Alexandra, the average increase is between 1 and 3 per cent. The new prices affect only the subsidised Class C and B2 wards. Changes for the non-subsidised A and B1 wards will be made known later. There is no change in polyclinic fees. Health Minister LIM Hng Kiang yesterday said that some of the hospitals would go further into the red without an increase. (Straits Times 12 Sep 2002) (3)

  Theatre pioneer KUO Pao Kun died last night at 10.10pm. He was 63. The veteran bilingual playwright had been battling illness - said to be cancer - for a long time. Mr KUO was the founder of the Theatre Practice company and school, which taught generations of arts practitioners. (Straits Times 11 Sep 2002) (3)

  DBS Bank yesterday reminded customers that they can get a 20-cent refund for each unused DBS or POSB cheque issued before July 1. These cheques cannot be used anymore as banks have now converted to the new standardised cheques under the Cheque Truncation System (CTS). DBS Bank started offering refunds this year and will continue to do so until Dec 31. (Straits Times 10 Sep 2002) (H5)

  Chief Justice YONG Pung How yesterday dismissed a 35-year-old woman's appeal against a 36-year jail term meted out by the High Court for helping her married lover, PEH Thiam Hui, rape her daughter, 9, over a period of five years. The girl, now 14, did not tell anyone until last October when her mother started divorce proceedings and sought custody of her three children. (Straits Times 10 Sep 2002) (H4)

  Hongkong tycoon LI Ka Shing and his Hutchison Whampoa Group are giving S$19.5 million to the Singapore Management University (SMU), the largest donation received by a tertiary institution here. S$15 million of this amount will go towards the endowment of a new state-of-the-art library to be named Li Ka Shing Library at SMU's new campus in Bras Basah Road. The other S$4.5 million will fund full, bond-free scholarships for undergraduates from Hongkong and China. (Straits Times 10 Sep 2002) (3)

  Fifteen Singaporean tourists were injured, three of them seriously, after their tour bus collided with another bus in the coastal city of Ilan in eastern Taiwan yesterday. Police in Ilan county, 120 km south of Taipei, said the accident happened on a coastal expressway at 2.45pm. (Straits Times 9 Sep 2002) (5)

  Dengue has killed three people so far this year. Last year, four people died from dengue, compared with two in 2000. There has been a surge of cases since June, with an average of 440 cases a month, compared with 318 cases over the same period last year. The north-east, eastern and south-eastern parts of Singapore, which includes areas such as Katong and Siglap, have been identified as dengue-prone areas because of their denser populations. (Straits Times 9 Sep 2002) (1)

  A high-ranking civil servant who used to head the Singapore Consulate in Chennai, India, was yesterday sentenced to six months' jail for accepting S$535 worth of bribes. Former vice-consul Aloysius Michael, 32, was found guilty and convicted on Aug 20 of two charges of accepting bribes after a six-day trial. (Straits Times 4 Sep 2002) (H10)

  Two men, both Chinese nationals, were arrested on Monday for the murder of chauffeur LAU Kiew Kong, 73, who was found bound and gagged in his Bedok North flat on Aug 21. Police also arrested woman, also a Chinese national, in connection with the killing. (Straits Times 4 Sep 2002) (H1)

  According to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), banks here wrote off S$9 million in credit-card debt in July - up from the S$5.9 million deemed uncollectible in 2001, but lower than the S$12.2 million written off in June this year. (Straits Times 3 Sep 2002) (A16)

  Lawyer Colin Caines, 43, who has been a practising lawyer for 18 years, was yesterday jailed for four years for pocketing S$213,000 of his clients' money. He is likely to be disbarred because of his conviction, said his lawyer Subhas Anandan. (Straits Times 3 Sep 2002) (H4)

  Anglo-Chinese School principal NG Eng Chin, 43, has been reinstated to his post by the school's board of governors. The board had unanimously cleared him of all allegations of improper behaviour while counselling a teenage boy last year. The boy's mother had alleged he had molested the boy during late-night counselling sessions held at various places, including the beach. The Education Ministry has accepted the inquiry panel's conclusion and its recommendation that Mr NG be reinstated. Straits Times 3 Sep 2002) (3)

  Singapore's war on smoking enters a new phase as two proposals are being put before Parliament to ban the sale here of packs of cigarettes containing less than 20 cigarettes. Health authorities are especially concerned that the number of female smokers between the ages of 18 and 24 has gone up from 6 per cent in 1998 to 8 per cent in 2001, even though the national smoking rate dipped to 14 per cent last year from 18 per cent a decade ago. (Straits Times 3 Sep 2002) (1)

  Day 1 of the Singapore- Malaysia talks on the bilateral package of long-standing issues, which includes the thorny subject of water, was marked by delays and changes to the schedule. (Straits Times 3 Sep 20020 (1)

  Last year, about 300 endangered creatures were confiscated by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA). The list is as follows: 12 frogs, 46 snakes, 19 spiders, 2 arowanas, 19 lizards, 163 birds, 38 tortoises and 5 mammals. (Straits Times 2 Sep 2002) (H5)

  Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), the developers of Sentosa island, is spending S$4 million to stage a 25-minute musical called Magical Sentosa which uses light, water, fire and music to tell the story of a man who enters a dream. The show, which starts on 19 Sep 2002 and replaces the nightly feature using lasers and light effects, is expected to boost audiences by up to 150,000 a year, from the current 1.5 million. (STraits Times 2 Sep 2002) (H4)

  Singer Stefanie SUN swept the Most Popular Female Artiste, Best-Selling Female Artiste and Best Local Artiste awards at the Y.E.S. 93.3 FM Singapore Hit Awards 2002 held at Suntec City Convention Hall 602 yesterday. Local boy A-Do won the Gold Award for Best Newcomer and the Most Promising New Local Act Award. (Straits Times 2 Sep 2002) (6)

  Speakers' Corner - the free-speech corner in Hong Lim Park - turned two yesterday. So far this year, almost 200 speeches have been made, a police spokesman said yesterday. The same period last year saw twice that number. (Straits Times 2 Sep 2002) (3)

  A construction site supervisor was yesterday jailed for 5½ years for taking nearly S$250,000 in earnings of workers he supervised under the guise of remitting the money to China. He even issued bogus receipts to the workers. Danny Nicholas HO Kok leong, 35, took the earnings of the workers between January and April this year. (Straits Times 29 Aug 2002) (H8)

  Some tenants are not happy with a S$1.4 million package offered to businesses hit by the collapse of their flatted factory's corridors on Tuesday, saying that the offer barely covers their loss of revenue and the renovation work they must carry out if they take up alternative premises offered by developer JTC Corporation. (Straits Times 29 Aug 2002) (5)

  An OCBC Bank employee was charged yesterday with siphoning S$800,000 of the bank's interest income into his personal current account. QUEK Liang Kiat, 36, had allegedly done so on two occasions last December when he was working as a bank officer at the bank's head office in Chulia Street. (Straits Times 28 Aug 2002) (H9)

  Five boys, aged between 11 and 14, have been arrested after washing powder was dumped into the water tank on the rooftop of Block 124 Paya Lebar Way on Monday afternoon. Following complaints by residents, a plumber dispatched by the town council found two 1 kg packets of washing powder, both half-emptied, near the two water tanks on the rooftop. Town council staff then flushed out the down-feed pipes so that residents could get clean water from the second tank. (Straits Times 28 Aug 2002) (H8)

  The Constitution was amended yesterday to bar immediately any MP who has been declared a bankrupt or is guilty of a crime from sitting or voting in Parliament even while waiting for the appeal to be heard. The MP will also lose his seat after 180 days if he does not succeed in his appeal by that time. The Constitution was also amended to extend the term of nominated MPs from two years to 2½ years. (Straits Times 28 Aug 2002) (H5)

  Singaporeans will suffer two months of the haze this year, starting next month, because of forest fires in Indonesia. "This year, it is unlikely the PSI will reach unhealthy levels," said LOH Ah Tuan, director-general for environmental protection at the National Environment Agency (NEA) yesterday. (Straits Times 28 Aug 2002) (6)

  Educator and sculptor Brother Joseph McNally died of a heart attack yesterday night while on a visit to Ireland. He was 79. Brother McNally was the founder of LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts. He was also the former principal of St Patrick's School. (Straits Times 28 Aug 2002) (3)

  Five floors of concrete corridors collapsed at a JTC flatted factory in Toa Payoh North yesterday morning. No one was hurt. The service corridors were used as a fire escape and to hold the air-conditioning units. Developer JTC Corporation said that while its engineers had found the building to be structurally sound, it was arranging to relocate the 22 affected companies to its other flatted factories. (Straits Times 28 Aug 2002) (4)

  A man was yesterday sentenced to nine months' jail and ordered to be given three strokes of the cane for outraging the modesty of his maid. Salim Hassan, 45, had crept into his maid's room in the early hours of the morning and touched her private parts, through a blanket, while she was sleeping in his Yishun Street 22 flat. Salim was arrested 10 days after his wife took the maid to lodge a police report. (Straits Times 27 Aug 2002) (H4)

  The Land Transport Authority (LTA) yesterday said it had changed the rules to allow motorists to change their existing licence plate number. All they need do is place a minimum bid of S$1,000 for the number and pay S$300 for each replacement. Previously, motorists could only bid for a new number if they were switching to a new vehicle. Motorists can bid at onemotoring.com.sg.  (Straits Times 27 Aug 2002) (H3)

  The Public Utilities Board (PUB) confirmed yesterday it had written to the Real Estate Development Association of Singapore, to inform it that developers will be required to provide a dedicated pipe system in all new commercial and industrial projects to accept Newater. For those locations where the Newater pipeline network will only be available after 2011, companies need to set aside space for when the new pipelines are laid. By January 2003, more than 68 million litres of Newater will be produced daily. It will go up to more than 250 million litres a day by 2012. (Straits Times 27 Aug 2002) (1)

  There are only four full-time forensic pathologists here and they do more than 2,000 autopsies a year, as well as take turns to be on call 24 hours a day in case they are needed to go to a crime scene. (Straits Times 26 Aug 2002) (H10)

  So far, about 1.21 million Singaporeans - almost 60 per cent of those who received New Singapore Shares (NSS) - have exchanged up to 50 per cent of their allotment for money, withdrawing almost S$653 million from the Government's coffers. Their shares make up about 70 per cent of the 938 million shares that can be exchanged before November this year. Each share is worth S$1. (Straits Times 26 Aug 2002) (3)

  A 10-member committee has proposed measures to make it easier for consumers to take traders to court for dishonest business practices that range from advertising false closing-down sales to using high-pressure sales tactics. (Straits Times 26 Aug 2002) (1)

  Parts of several neighbourhoods in northern Singapore were shrouded in darkness for several hours yesterday when lamp-posts and utility lights failed to come on as usual at 7pm because of a signal failure. Carparks, void decks and corridors in some parts of Ang Mo Kio, Sembawang, Toa Payoh, Hougang and Bishan remained in pitch darkness as night fell.(Straits Times 24 Aug 2002) (H10)

  A 57-year-old man who pleaded guilty to two charges of raping his daughter who was 15 at the time of the first offence was yesterday jailed for 12 years. The unemployed man was spared the cane because he is more than 50 years old. (Straits Times 24 Aug 2002) (H2)

  Three people suspected to be involved in the recent spate of thefts of cheque-deposit boxes at banks have been arrested. They are LIM Boon Seng, 26, and two others - a 31-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman. Police have also seized a rented vehicle in which they found a DBS Bank cheque-deposit box containing some cheques and documents, as well as large quantities of electronic items, such as card readers, scanners and computer peripherals. (Straits Times 24 Aug 2002) (H2) 

  Singapore Airlines (SIA) and its pilots resolved their dispute over in-flight breaks yesterday, ending the threat of industrial action against the airline. The compromise agreement will see one business-class seat set aside for pilots and if they have to sit in economy class, they will receive S$200 in compensation. Pilots will also be given priority to upgrade to business class, ahead of passengers and staff. And if business class is full, they may occupy an empty first-class seat. (Straits Times 24 Aug 2002) (1)

  A young couple, believed to have been lovers, were found dead at the foot of Block 262D  Compassvale Drive in Sengkang yesterday morning. The bodies of a 23-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman were found lying face down next to each other. They are believed to have fallen from either the 14th or 15th storey of the block. (Straits Times 21 Aug 2002) (H3)

  Furniture retailer Ideal Home Living Center, opened five years ago, has closed its Suntec City store two months after 15 customer complaints criticising its services made the headlines here. Ideal Home is the latest of a string of local furniture retailers to flounder in the recession, after Pennsylvania House, Homestead Furniture and Actus, all of which had closed their stores in the last 16 months. (Straits Times 21 Aug 2002) (H1)

  Thieves emptied quick cheque deposit boxes at the branches of OCBC Bank and Standard Chartered Bank in the SIA Building on Robinson Road on Saturday morning. They also struck at DBS Bank's Shenton Way branch on Sunday morning. Director of the Association of Banks in Singapore ONG-ANG Ai Boon told The Straits Times that this was the first time that quick deposit boxes at banks had been hit. (Straits Times 21 Aug 2002) (4)

  From next year, 90,000 HDB flat owners now paying off HDB loans at market rates can also refinance their mortgages with banks. Home loan rates offered by banks are now at a record low, with some offering rates of around 1.5 per cent for the first year, and a second year rate that is lower than 3 per cent. This compares favourably with HDB's market rate of 3.75 per cent a year. Five banks - DBS, UOB, OCBC, Stanchart and HSBC - have said they would only recall such loans as a last resort. (Straits Times 21 Aug 2002) (3)

  Health Minister LIM Hng Kiang yesterday announced stricter rules for Chinese medicines sold here. The rules apply only to Chinese medicines made from a combination of compounds. Herbs can still be brought in without fuss. There are 9,800 Chinese medicines sold here, compared to about 7,500 Western medicines. But Chinese medicine sales account for only S$15 million to S$20 million, or about 5 per cent of the S$400 million to S$500 million worth of medicine sold here annually. (Straits Times 21 Aug 2002) (1)

  Since the Economic Downturn Relief Scheme started, 12,000 applicants have been successful, but only S$5 million out of the S$20 million reserved for the scheme has been used. The scheme, launched in November 2001, gives those hit by the economic downturn S$200 a month for a maximum of three months. At the beginning of the scheme, on average, 800 applications were received every month. In July, only 400 applications were made, and in June, 500. (Straits Times 20 Aug 2002) (H1)

  Following yesterday's ruling by Senior Assistant Registrar TOH Han Li that Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong and Senior Minister LEE Kuan Yew were defamed by Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief CHEE Soon Juan's claim that they misled Parliament and the public about an alleged S$17-billion loan to former Indonesian president Suharto, CHEE must pay damages for defaming them in the last General Election. The amount will be set at an open hearing in the High Court where PM GOH and SM LEE will give evidence. (Straits Times 20 Aug 2002) (3)

  The National Wages Council (NWC) is expected to hold its annual meeting in October 2002 to assess the economic situation and determine whether it needs to review its wage guidelines. Singapore, which is just coming out of its worst recession, has been following a wage-restraint policy, including a wage cut, on the recommendation of the NWC in December 2001. (Straits Times 20 Aug 2002) (1) 

  About one-third of the 370,000 members now in the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) are executives. In the past 12 months, the NTUC has signed up 10,000 executives, bringing its total executive membership up to 125,000. (Straits Times 19 Aug 2002) (H7)

  Researchers at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) economics department calculated the social cost of smoking in 1997 at between S$673 million and S$839 million in a study which took into account the lost working hours due to smoking-related illnesses and deaths, as well as the higher medical bills chalked up by smokers. Cigarette taxes brought in S$389 million that year - less than half the 'cost' that the cigarettes incurred on the economy. Men, who make up the majority of smokers here, accounted for 90 per cent of the cost of smoking. About 11 per cent of teenagers from secondary 1 through to secondary 4 light up at least once a month, according to a survey done in 2000. (Straits Times 19 Aug 2002) (3) 

  The Singapore Medical Council (SMC) has censured a doctor for asking an 18-year-old patient the race and religion of the person she would like to marry. General practitioner Mukundan Nair was treating the patient for an infection in the upper respiratory tract at a Raffles Medical Group clinic in Tampines last month when he asked the embarrassing questions. He now works at the Institute of Mental Health. This is the second time he has been censured by the SMC. (Straits Times 15 Aug 2002) (H4)

  Salesmen are duping Housing Board flat dwellers into paying for security systems by claiming that the HDB requires upgraded flats to have one. Yesterday, the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) said it had received at least 60 complaints about salesmen using unethical tactics to sell security systems to HDB residents.(Straits Times 15 Aug 2002)

  Singapore shoppers will be able to use their Nets card in Malaysia by late 2003. Nets and its Malaysian counterpart, the Malaysian Electronic Payment System (Meps) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to link their nationwide electronic payment systems. (Straits Times 15 Aug 2002) (3)

  A computer glitch caused the blackout that paralysed parts of Singapore for 90 minutes last Monday, said power regulator Energy Market Authority yesterday. (STraits Times 15 Aug 2002) (3)

  Washington: Experiments by scientists at Harvard University and the United States' National Institutes of Mental Health have confirmed that a 30-minute nap during work, commonly called a "power nap", increases the brain's ability to absorb and process more information. "The bottom line: We should stop feeling guilty about taking that 'power nap' at work," the researchers said in their report. (STraits Times 14 Aug 2002) (H12) 

  200,000 of the 1.2 million people eligible for Eldershield, the Health Ministry-initiated long-term disability insurance plan, have opted out. However, slightly more than 1,200 have rejoined the scheme. Eldershield pays people who are disabled S$300 a month for up to five years. Those aged between 40 and 69 are eligible and will have the annual premiums deducted automatically from their Medisave accounts next month, unless they opt out before the September 30 deadline. (Straits Times 14 Aug 2002) (H9)

  A finance manager who had used a belt and a bamboo pole to hit her maid was yesterday jailed for six months. Joyce TAN Lee Mei, 43, abused her Indonesian maid, Miss Purnari, 25, on four occasions between November 2001 and January this year. The maid called the police from a void-deck phone. (Straits Times 14 Aug 2002) (H4)

  A new Web site which will translate into Chinese the names of Singapore attractions, like the Padang and Night Safari, as well as computer terms, like gigabyte, has been set up with a S$50,000 grant from the Singapore Press Holding's Chinese Language Journalism Fund. The site, at e2ctransnet.zaobao.com, which will be officially launched in three months' time, will be maintained by zaobao.com, the online edition of Lianhe Zaobao. (Straits Times 14 Aug 2002) (H2) 

  Of the 241 companies surveyed by Remuneration Data Specialist (RDS), a local consultancy firm, in mid-July, about half are intending to increase staff strength, up from 36 per cent in January. However, the number of companies retrenching staff has crept to 16 per cent, up from 12 per cent in January. 24 per cent of companies polled expect further improvements in business in the next six months, with the most optimistic sector being electronics manufacturing. 66 per cent do not expect any change while the remaining 10 per cent expect things to get worse. (Straits Times 14 Aug 2002) (H2)

  About 100 people on the sub-committees of the Remaking Singapore Committee, set up in February 2002, came up with a suggestion to scrap streaming at Primary 4 in primary schools when they met at a retreat last month. The group also called for a review of the bilingual policy to allow children to choose a second language irrespective of their race. Retreat participants also suggested the Societies Act be revised to make it easier for groups to register or for the Companies Act to be extended to cover non-profit companies. (Straits Times 13 Aug 2002) (4)

  The Government will not allow HDB flat owners to use their homes as collateral to take out more loans to increase their cash flow for business or personal use. This is to prevent people from abusing the heavily subsidised public-housing system when the more relaxed rule, which allows some HDB flat owners to turn to banks for loans, starts in January 2003. "We would not like to see anybody borrowing extra, or over the amount required for the flat, to buy a car or go for a holiday," said National Development Minister MAH Bow Tan yesterday. (Straits Times 12 Aug 20020 (1)

  A betting-outlet employee was slain brutally yesterday morning when robbers struck at Chye Kwang Trading, a popular Singapore Pools outlet at Block 177 in Toa Payoh Central. The woman, 36, was preparing to open the shop for business at the time. The robbers carted away a safe containing an undisclosed amount of cash. (Straits Times 12 Aug 2002) (1)

  Many previously inaccessible areas of Sentosa will be opened to visitors when its new cycling tracks are ready in September 2002. Made of a mix of tarmac, earth and sand, the S$350,000 tracks, which run for 11 km, can fit three riders shoulder-to-shoulder. There will be four routes: The mythology, beach, challenge and jungle trails, each about 3 km long. To use the tracks, visitors can either take their own bicycles or rent one for between S$4 and S$8 an hour from one of three booths on the island. (Straits Times 5 Aug 2002) (H5)

  Seven statutory boards have banded together to give out a new scholarship - the Firefly scholarship - in an attempt to attract more talent. The scholarship allows applicants to try for a place at any of the seven, through just one application instead of applying separately. The scholarship holders, while attached to a parent agency, would also be allowed to do a stint - typically two to three years - at any local or international office of a Firefly member. The members, all under the Trade and Industry Ministry, are: Economic Development Board, JTC Corporation, A*Star, Spring Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board, International Enterprise Singapore and the Energy Market Authority. The Firefly will give out 27 scholarships to the first batch of winners today. (Straits Times 5 Aug 2002) (6)

  A Straits Times survey of 332 Primary 5 pupils here found that three in five think they have enough free time. About half said they get at least two hours of free time on a typical school day. Almost four in five spend their free time watching television. This is followed closely by playing on the computer and reading. (Straits Times 5 Aug 2002) (1)

  There are five recipients for this year's Excellence For Singapore award. They are national paddler LI Jiawei, veteran playwright KUO Pao Kun, vice-dean of Nanyang Technological University's school of biological sciences, LUN Kwok Chan and head of Singapore General Hospital's haematology department Patrick TAN, and the Jurong BirdPark. (Straits Times 3 Aug 2002) (3)

  An Indian national was caught smuggling 1,092 star tortoises, an endangered species, into Singapore on Wednesday. Chinnamotur Loganathan Ashokavarthanan, 27, was fined S$5,000 and jailed eight weeks yesterday. The tortoises, worth about S$54,000, will be sent back to India later this month. (Straits Times 3 Aug 2002) (H4)

  Retiree QUEK Loo Ming, 56, a former lab officer with the Department of Scientific Services, was yesterday convicted of manslaughter in the High Court. QUEK had stolen some methomyl from his office and used it to spike a bottle of water used in a New Year's Eve function at Bukit Timah Zone 5 RC. The intended victim Madam LUM, 49, didn't drink from the spiked bottle but three others drank the poisoned water and one of them, Madam FONG Oi Lin, 62, died. The other two, WONG Ah Kim, 38, and Richard HO, 67, had to be warded in intensive care. (Straits Times 3 Aug 2002) (H1)

  A youth dubbed the Terror of Yishun in 1999 was yesterday sent to jail for 18 years and ordered to be caned 12 years for preying on three girls, aged nine and 10, and forcing two of them to perform oral sex on him between Oct 2001 and Jan 15, 2002. Siddharth Mujumdar, 19, was under police supervision after his release from the Reformative Training Centre when he committed the offences. (Straits Times 3 Aug 2002) (4)

  Singapore's economy is still on track to grow as much as 4 per cent this year despite the latest United States share gyrations, as long as no more accounting shocks from corporate America rock the boat, according to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). MAS managing director KOH Yong Guan yesterday also revealed that because of lower interest income and weak financial markets, MAS's profits after provisions fell by S$1.4 billion to S$641 million for the year ended March 31, 2002. (Straits Times 3 Aug 2002) (1)

  StarHub is giving away S$70 million in vouchers to its customers to celebrate its merger with Singapore Cable Vision (SCV). By December, StarHub customers will be offered a new service - fixed-line telephone services using the SCV network. In the first year, it is targeting for between 5 and 10 per cent of SCV's existing customers to opt for its basic telephony services. Currently SCV has 340,000 households using its MaxTV cable TV and 88,000 households logged on to its MaxOnline broadband service. (Straits Times 31 Jul 2002) (A16)

  Raffles scholarship is now known as Chevening scholarship. Each of its 2002 scholarships is worth between GBP10,000 (S$27,000) and GBP15,000 but some recipients will get up to GBP25,000, depending on the nature of their course.13 out of 100 applicants have received the 2002 scholarship, awarded by the British Government's Foreign & Commonwealth Office, and several corporate sponsors from Britain and Singapore. (Straits Times 31 Jul 2002) (H10)

  UE Square, the site of the original four-storey office of renowned engineering firm United Engineers, has been marked a historic site by the National Heritage Board. The site, at the junction of River Valley Road and Clemenceau Avenue, is the 65th site marked by the board since 1995. (Straits Times 31 Jul 2002) (H6)

  Slim 10 distributor TV Media was yesterday fined S$64,000 for selling the weight-loss pill to pharmacies without a licence, and for continuing to supply it after the health authorities had recalled the pills. (Straits Times 31 Jul 2002) (3)

  Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief CHEE Soon Juan has been fined S$3,000 for speaking on the tudung issue without a public-entertainment licence. This means he will not be able to contest the next General Election, due by 2007. By law, anyone fined at least S$2,000 cannot stand or parliamentary election for five years. (Straits Times 31 Jul 2002) (H2)

  For the first time in 40 years, Singapore won gold at the Commonwealth Games when the women's table-tennis team, comprising JING Junhong, LI Jiawei, ZHANG Xueling and TAN Paey Fern, thrashed Australia 3-0 in the final. The last gold medals Singapore won at the Games were brought home from Perth in 1962 by weightlifters TAN Howe Liang and CHUA Phung Kim. (Straits Times 31 Jul 2002) (1)

  This year's President Scholars are Mr TEO Shiyi (RJC), Miss PAO Pei Yu (RJC), Mr Kelvin SEOW (RJC), and Miss YEO Wenshan (HCJC). All of them, aged 19, beat about 1,000 others for the prestigious scholarship. (Straits Times 29 Jul 2002) (3)

  There has been a huge rise in the number of conjunctivitis cases at the polyclinics in the past few weeks. The number of infected patients last week was 1,227, compared to the weekly average of 317 last year, the Ministry of Health said in a statement yesterday. Common symptoms are the sudden onset of itchy red eyes, sticky eye discharge, fever, headache, runny nose, sore throat, cough and muscle ache. (Straits Times 26 Jul 2002) (H9)

  Herbal remedy kava-kava and its extracts have been banned here as they have been found to pose a health risk. The herb, usually found in health supplements, is now classified as a poison, said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) yesterday. This ban follows reports linking it to serious liver problems in Europe. (Straits Times 26 Jul 2002) (H4)

  A pub and karaoke lounge managed by MediaCorp actor LI Nanxing was yesterday fined S$25,000 for infringing the Copyright Act. Lavon Pub & KTV was hauled to court for playing karaoke videos for which it had not paid licence fees at its Katong Plaza premises. (Straits Times 26 Jul 2002) (H3)

  Singaporean workers may get an average bonus of 1.4 months in 2002, according to a quarterly survey of 333 companies conducted over May and June 2002 by human resource and financial-consulting firm Watson Wyatt Singapore. They can also expect an average pay rise of 3.3 per cent, provided their employers are not freezing or cutting wages. The survey also revealed that 34 per cent of companies implemented a wage freeze in the second quarter of this year, compared to 22 per cent of firms six months ago. (Straits Times 24 Jul 2002) (H6)

  Drivers who flee from the scene of a hit-and-run crash will now be disqualified from driving for a year, on top of possibly being fined and jailed. Parliament passed the amendments to the Road Traffic Act on Tuesday to make the one-year disqualification mandatory, just as it is for drink-driving. Other changes include suspending a motorist's licence until his trial if he is charged with failing to stop after a fatal or serious accident. (Straits Times 24 Jul 2002) (H4)

  Former Fateha chief Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff and his family have left Singapore amid a police investigation to determine whether he criminally defamed three people here. He has been in Australia since last Thursday on a one-year visa. (Straits Times 24 Jul 2002) (4)

  An abandoned newborn baby girl was discovered in a cardboard box at the lift landing of a Tiong Bahru block of flats on Sunday. Called Jeanna by nurses at KK Women's & Children's Hospital where she is warded, she is healthy and weighs 3.8 kg. Jeanna is the second baby abandoned this year. Last year three babies were found abandoned. (Straits Times 24 Jul 2002) (3)

  The exhumed remains of Muslims from Bidadari Cemetery, which has about 68,000 graves, will be reburied in concrete crypts - with lids and aligned in a grid - in 5,000 plots covering about 2 ha of land at Chua Chu Kang's Pusara Abdai cemetery from Aug 14. The new burial system will be extended to all fresh Muslim burials and those of people of other religious groups in a year or two. (Straits Times 23 Jul 2002) (H6)

  The MInistry of Home Affairs yesterday confirmed that a terrorist suspect said to have been arrested in Oman and with links to Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network was a mastermind of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) group's bombing plans here. It also revealed that the suspect, code-named "sammy", had planned to bring suicide bombers to Singapore to blow up American, Israeli and other targets here. (Straits Times 23 Jul 2002) (5) 

  Civil servants aged 50 to 55 will receive a CPF top-up to partially make up for the non-restoration of the four percentage points in employers' CPF contribution rate, when other workers receive them in two to four years. This is to encourage the private sector to do the same for older deserving workers, whether in the form of bonuses or variable payments, said DPM LEE Hsien Loong in Parliament yesterday. (Straits Times 23 Jul 2002) (1)

  Four buildings along High Street are set to get a spanking new look by 2004. They are High Street Centre, High Street Plaza, Wisma Sugnomal, Amar Raj House and Satnam House. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has given them the green light to proceed with their refurbishment plans after a delay of more than a year. (Straits Times 22 Jul 2002) (A14)

  Four heads in the Singapore Zoo have left over the last 18 months. They are chief Bernard Harrison, food and beverage director Mr Frank YUEN, marketing director Mr George SOH and director of IT and finance Mrs SEE Juat Chin. Together they have 59 years of experience running the Zoo. Past and present employees say the uneasy integration with Jurong BirdPark was responsible for the departures of the top brass. Singapore Zoo, the Night Safari and the Jurong BirdPark - all owned by Temasek Holdings - were restructured under a new company, Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), headed by former Health Ministry Permanent Secretary, Dr KWA Soon Bee, who was appointed chairman of the company. (Straits Times 22 Jul 2002) (H3)

  American actor John Travolta, 48, flew into SIngapore in his personal Boeing 707, named Jett Clipper Ella, over the weekend. Singapore is his sixth stop as Australian carrier Qantas' ambassador-at-large. Travelling with hime are his wife, actress Kelly Preston, 39, and two children, Jett, 10, and Ella Bleu, 2. (Straits Times 21 Jul 2002) (31)

  The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said yesterday that the airtight shelter in homes can protect homeowners from blasts with its 25-cm thick walls. Since 1983, 127,542 shelters have been built, of which 124,000 are in Housing Board flats, or 15 per cent of all HDB flats here. The rest are located in schools, community centres, MRT stations and void decks. These shelters provide cover for about 900,000 people. (Straits Times 21 Jul 2002) (3)

  The number of stock-broking houses in Singapore - which had dived from more than 30 to just 10 in the space of 20 months - will dwindle to a mere five within the next 12 to 18 months, major industry players say. The likely survivors are DBS Vickers, UOB Kay Hian, GK Goh, Kim Eng Ong Asia and Phillip Securities. (Straits Times 17 Jul 2002) (A20) 

  Independent school Raffles Girls' Secondary (RGS) will raise its fees by S$25 per year from 2004 up to 2007, when they reach S$200 a month - double the present figure. However, about 80 per cent of the school's students will not be affected by the increase as they are on scholarships. Raffles Institution, The Chinese High, and Anglo-Chinese (Independent) charge S$200 a month in fees while St Joseph's Institution, Nanyang Girls' High and Singapore Chinese Girls' Secondary charge S$150, S$100 and S$100 respectively. (Straits Times 17 Jul 2002) (H8)

  The National Development Ministry is studying a proposal to allow HDB homeowners who are not entitled to a subsidised loan to get housing loans from banks. This will free them from having to get mortgage loans from the HDB at market rates. The proposed changes could mean a 33 per cent drop in interest rates for some owners as market rates are now 2.8 per cent, compared with the HDB's 3.75 per cent. (Straits Times 17 Jul 2002) (3)

  Slim 10 distributor was yesterday charged with continuing to sell the weight-loss pill after the health authorities ordered it off the market. TV Media, registered here in 1994, is owned by a holding company which has two shareholders: Bizhan H. Fazeli, who has a California address, and Pacific Media Overseas, which has a Mauritius address. (Straits Times 17 Jul 2002) (3)

  The Government has revised its forecast for trade growth this year to 2 - 4 per cent from between 0 and 5 per cent six months ago. This means it is expecting a strong pick-up in the second half year of between 9 and 13 per cent. (Straits Times 17 Jul 2002) (1) 

  MediaCorp actor Rayson TAN Tai Ming, who is the husband of actress CHEN Liping - the poster girl in advertisements for the Slim 10 pill, has been named as the fifth defendant in the Slim 10 lawsuit brought by his colleague Andrea De Cruz. De Cruz's lawyers declined to say why TAN has been brought in as a defendant. (Straits Times 16 Jul 2002) (H4)

  The Economic Review Committee's (ERC) sub-committee on taxation, CPF, wages and land yesterday proposed that employers' CPF remains at 16 per cent for 50-55 age group workers so that jobs are kept in the long term. Already, out of the 110,000 workers currently aged between 50 and 55, 4.6 per cent are without jobs as at March 2002. The panel also recommended that CPF withdrawals to pay off loans for private homes and market-rate HDB flats be capped this year at 150 per cent of a property's value. This should be gradually reduced to 120 per cent gradually over five years so that savings in the CPF Ordinary Account can be freed for uses such as funding one's retirement. (Straits Times 16 Jul 2002) (1)

  A 15-year-old schoolgirl was killed when she was run over by SBS Transit bus service No. 2 at Changi Village bus terminal on 13 Jul 2002. Marion JANG Li Ping, a secondary three student at CHIJ Katong Convent, was hit as she was crossing the entrance to the terminal with her boyfriend. He, who is in his 20s, was also knocked down but was unhurt. (Straits Times 15 Jul 2002) (H4)

  Flight information can now be retrieved via SMS by SingTel mobile customers. All they need to do is dial *111. They will then be able to track information such as the flight's arrival or departure time. The service, which now costs 10 cents per request, will cost 20 cents from Sept 19. (Straits Times 15 Jul 2002) (H2)

  The National Arts Council (NAC) plans to turn about 940 sq m of space in the old Parliament House into a food and beverage-cum retail development. It also plans to make the main chamber of the historic building, which housed Singapore's Parliament from 1965 to 1999, an arts and concert venue. The refurbishment, costing S$15.8 million, started in April and is expected to be completed by December 2003. (Straits Times 15 Jul 2002) (4)

  Transport Minister YEO Cheow Tong indicated yesterday that there was a "very high" possibility that the three transport executives in the Public Transport Council (PTC) will lose their seats on the panel which, among other things, approves bus fares. He said, "We need not really have them as members. They can still be there as resource people." Currently, three out of the 14-member PTC are top executives of Singapore Mass rapid Transport, SBS Transit and Trans-Island Bus Services. (Straits Times 15 Jul 2002) (3) 

  There were two cases of off-duty cops who turned their guns on themselves recently, falling through the safety net in place to catch cops in distress. In 2000, the safety net caught 17 officers, some of whom were found to be false alarms who were referred for counselling, as their superiors suspected them of having suicidal tendencies. The number was halved to eight in 2001. (Straits Times 14 Jul 2002) (3) 

  Animal-welfare groups have applauded a new law passed in Parliament last week making abandonment a crime. Action for Singapore Dogs estimates that 10,000 stray dogs are wandering around construction sites and barren tracks of land around the island. The estimates for cats is about 200,000 and for rabbits, about 200 at any one time. The penalties for animal-cruelty offences have also been increased. Offenders can now be fined up to S$10,000 and jailed for 12 months, compared to S$500 and six months before. (Straits Times 14 Jul 2002) (24)

  A hike in school-bus fees could happen as early as September for some parents. The second largest private-bus company here after Comfort Bus said the 20,000-odd students taking its buses will have to pay up to 20 per cent more if it cannot make up for the increase in the vehicles' insurance premiums, of between three and five times. (Straits Times 13 Jul 20020 (H8)

  According to the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), children and teens make up about 10 per cent of those who attempt suicide here. In 1999, 15 teens aged between 10 and 19 committed suicide. In 2000, there were 21. (Straits Times 13 Jul 2002) (H6)

  Deputy Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong revealed yesterday that the reclaimed water - Newater - that Singapore is producing "is enough to replace all the water we are taking from Malaysia under the 1961 agreement which expires in 2011". (Straits Times 13 Jul 2002) (1)

  The Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) survey of retrenched workers conducted in April 2002 showed 15 per cent of the 2,300 workers retrenched last year were still unemployed. Most of the 345 job-seekers are aged 40 years and older, and one in three is the family's sole breadwinner. 43 per cent of them used to work as production operators, cleaners and labourers. Another 37 per cent were once managers, professionals, executives and technicians. Out of the 1,760 re-employed workers, six in 10 suffered a median pay cut of 26 per cent, while two in 10 registered a pay increase of about 17 per cent. The survey also found that most workers got a new job in about two months and re-employment was higher among the younger and more educated workers, and those laid off from the service industry. (Straits Times 12 Jul 20020 (H4)

  Over the past three weeks, 21 people here have contracted hepatitis A, about twice the total for last year when there were just 11 cases. Less than half the population here are immune to hepatitis A, which can lead to liver failure. Only betwen 2 and 7 per cent of those younger than 25 are immune to it. The National Environment Agency said yesterday that most of the patients had consumed raw or partially cooked cockles. Singapore imported 4,070 tonnes of live cockles from Malaysia last year. (Straits Times 12 Jul 2002) (H1)

  A nine-member panel of experts assembled by the Public Utilities Board (PUB) has endorsed Newater as a safe and sustainable source of water for Singapore. Newater is water that is reclaimed from water in the kitchen and bathroom. The panel also supports the idea that Singapore could supplement its supply of drinking water by blending reclaimed water with reservoir water. The mixture would be treated again to produce drinking water. (Straits Times 12 Jul 2002) (1)

  Singapore Cable Vision (SCV) has been asked by Malaysian authorities and the TV3 broadcaster to stop supplying these two free channels on its network. SCV said yesterday that TV3 will stop airing on its network on July 22 and RTM TV2, on July 23. About 90 per cent of home here receive TV channel signals through SCV cable points. Before SCV came onto the scene in 1995, signals were received via rooftop antennas but SCV has progressively cabled up all HDB estates, condominiums and 60 per cent of private landed homes. (Straits Times 11 Jul 2002) (H7)

  The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will have a new HQ which will bring all of its 3,700 employees under one roof at a site next to the Buona Vista MRT station in 2006. Construction of the 120,000 sq m building will cost about S$250 million. LTA's deputy chief executive LOW Tien Sio told The Business Times earlier this week that the rental from the new HQ would offset the cost of building it. (Straits Times 11 Jul 2002) (H7)

  The SPCA takes in 60 to 70 unwanted rabbits each month. In 2001, about 1,000 bunnies were handed to the society. Each year, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore and the SPCA have to put down about 9,000 dogs and 12,000 cats. The number of animal-abuse cases has also gone up in the last five years. In 1998, there were 363 calls reporting such behaviour. Last year, the SPCA received 523 calls. Of the 300 dogs it takes in each month, about 90 are lost or abandoned. It also receives about 500 cats a month, most of which are strays. (Straits Times 11 Jul 2002) (H6)

  There will be no U-turn on the bus and train fare hikes. Transport Minister YEO Cheow Tong said in Parliament yesterday his ministry was satisfied that the fare rises were "reasonable and certainly not excessive". (Straits Times 11 Jul 2002) (1)

  The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) yesterday said it expects full-year growth to be at the upper end of its 2 per cent to 4 per cent forecast. Singapore's economy showed a 3.2 per cent growth for the April-June quarter after 12 months of shrinkage. Calculating on a quarter-on-quarter basis, the economy grew by a sparkling 10.3 per cent in the second quarter, exceeding the 8.4 per cent growth in the first quarter of this year. (Straits Times 11 Jul 2002) (1)

  A Chinese national was yesterday jailed for six months for submitting false claims against remittance agent Wen Long Money Changer. LI Long Gen, 34, a plasterer, handed in a remittance receipt from Wen Long Money Changer for 9,000 yuan (S$1,948) and claimed his family in Jiangsu did not receive the money. But police found that he had tampered with the receipt. He had changed the date from Nov 22 2001 to Jan 22 this year. (Straits Times 6 Jul 2002) (H7)

  The police probe into alleged defamatory articles on fateha.com has spooked the Internet community here. Observers also said the action was a setback for cyberspace and public debate and would force more people to become anonymous online. (Straits Times 6 Jul 2002) (H2)

  A rapist who used the Internet chatrooms to find his two victims was yesterday jailed for 27 years and ordered to be given 24 strokes of the cane. TAN Khay Cheong, 34, of Jurong West Street 42, was married with two children when he molested, raped and sodomised a 13-year-old schoolgirl by pretending to be three different people in May 2000. He also tricked his second victim, a 22-year-old Malaysian, into believing he could get her a job and tied her up and raped her in a Geylang hotel in December 2001. (Straits Times 6 Jul 2002) (6)

  Transport Minist